canteen stopper

[tenngun]

just got a tin D style canteen. It came with out a stopper. I cant find a cork long enough, and the taper isn't right. Looking for some ideas to make a stopper. What are you all a using?
I thought of a wood stopper with leather, but I wanted to hear some other ideas and succsess strories :idunno:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Just a thought....howabout a tompion style made from wood?

 

[necchi]

Check Local Wine makers supply ?
Or buy a bottle of wine an save the cork, :wink:

 

[robinsroost]

I have seen them made out of a corn cob.......Robin

 

[tenngun]

Al the corks I got are too small, thought about the wood, forgot corn cobs were used for jugs.
what have any one eles used?

 

[Black Hand]

Your local hardware store may have a selection of corks (many sizes).

 

[LRB]

What Black Hand said. I believe you are over thinking this. You just need a cork that stops it from leaking. Corks were used in the 18th c.

 

[Wes/Tex]

Most of the originals I've encountered ran to corks or corn cobs. Not 100% certain but would think the slight compression of these two materials would make them the go-to items for openings.

 

[Stumpkiller]

Whittle one from a piece of dry white pine (soft wood).

 

[Claude Mathis]

Whittle one from a piece of dry white pine (soft wood).

I agree. And it will be historically correct for any period, since Man discovered the tree. :wink:

 

[mudd turtle]

Find you a piece of dry red ceader. measure the inside diameter of the item you are useing for a canteen and whittle the ceader to fit. I have done several stoppers for for my Civil war canteens and they work. You can also do as has been suggested to fine a wine cork the right size and use that. Here is what I have done with a wine bottle cork before and it works. I took the cork 'made sure it was clean . made sure that the thick part was thined down with a rasp . Then I took a tool I had ordered from a wine makeing supply store and drilled out the center of the cork. Made sure I was in the center of the cork . when the tool came out the bottom of the cork it was in the right place. Then I took a piece of leather thong and pulled it through the cork. When it came out the bottom of the cork I enlarged the bottom of the hole for a little distance and tied a knot in the thong and pulled it back up into the cork to where you could not see the knot and used hot wax to seal the hole. Works fine - Mudd Turtle.

 

[bgeipel]

Mine is tapered from a hardwood dowel. I rubbed beeswax into it to help prevent swelling.

Every time I have tried using cork, they would swell up so much that it was near impossible to get the off. Tapered wood seems to work best for me.

 

[DNICK]

I also use a piece of wood carved to fit the spout but be warned if it is not covered with beeswax it will swell and lock it's self into the spout so after filling the canteen pull the stopper out after about 5min. And about every 10min.after that to keep it loose enough to come out.

 

[Many Klatch]

I had to make a stopper for a clay jug that we use for water when camping. The mouth of the jug was way too big for any wine cork in our collection. So I took 4 wine corks and flattened them on two sides with my bench sander so they would all fit together smoothly. Then I glued all 4 together with Gorilla Glue. After it set for 24 hours I ground the resulting large cork down on the sander until it fit.

Many Klatch

 

[Rifleman1776]

I needed cork for a different project and had difficulty finding any. The the price was like gold. :shocked2: I couldn't believe it.
Then I found cutting it was a real pia. :cursing:
Finally ended up using a small belt sander to shape as needed.
Plus, discovered it is not a strong material. I'll look for alternates for future projects.

 

[Black Hand]

Finally ended up using a small belt sander to shape as needed.

:thumbsup:

The strength depends on the quality of the cork. Some have (many) voids while others are sound all the way through. I am very selective about the corks I use.

 

[Gettysburg63]

Try a Craft store, That where I found the right size cork for my wooden canteen.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Mine is tapered from a hardwood dowel. I rubbed beeswax into it to help prevent swelling.

Every time I have tried using cork, they would swell up so much that it was near impossible to get the off. Tapered wood seems to work best for me.

If I were to make one again, it would be wood, sealed with beeswax. But, it would be slit at the bottom, much like a tompion. That would make a snug fit and prevent sticking.

 

[nwtradegun]

corncomb soaked in bees wax

 

[razorbritches]

I don't know how much access you have to local creeks in your area, but sometimes you can find a piece of old cottonwood root driftwood. It's real light, compressable, and should work well. It will whittle more like wood and perform like cork only the grain structure should make it stronger. We would use them for makeshift fishing bobbers.